European Championships returns to the origins of the Event

LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships

The European Championships returns to the origins of the Event. First staged in 1958 in Budapest; the Hungarian capital city is the host for the LIEBHERR 2016 ITTF European Championships. The city also hosted the event in 1982 and during almost six decades Hungarian team made the history with 73 gold 61 silver and 77 bronze medals at the World Championships as well as 38 gold 30 silver and 44 bronze medals at the Continental gatherings.

The play will commence on Tuesday 18th October and will conclude on Sunday 23rd October. The singles qualifications open the week that will end with the crowning of the new champions in Singles Doubles and Mixed Doubles Events.

Explanation of the Group System

Only 32 top players secured their places in the main draw of the Singles Event; the rest will have to find their way through the qualifications. In the Men’s Singles the 23 group winners will qualify. After that 9 main event places are left. The draw 18 of the 23 runners-up of the groups randomly. These 18 players play one match the winners of these 9 matches qualify. The remaining 5 group runners-up are out.

In the women’s singles event the 19 group winners will qualify. After the matches in qualification groups we draw 7 lucky losers from the runners-up of the groups who will qualify as well. That makes 26. The remaining 12 runners-up play one match the winners of these 6 matches qualify and then we have 32 qualifiers.

Mixed Doubles Event

For the first time after 2007 Mixed Doubles Event is again the part of the Championships.

Laola1.tv and Eurosport coverage

Laola1.tv will cover the live action from four tables during the whole Championships. Eurosport will broadcast the matches from semi-finals and finals for the Men’s and Women’s Singles Events as well as matches in the Doubles Events.